Kenzo Craigie

Kenzo Craigie
Born (2010-09-29) 29 September 2010
Epsom, Surrey, England
NationalityUnited Kingdom British
Italian F4 Championship career
Debut season2026
Current teamR-ace GP
Car number34
Starts12
Wins1
Podiums2
Poles0
Fastest laps1
Best finishTBD in 2026
Previous series
Awards
2024FIA Action of the Year
Statistics up to date as of 26 July 2026.

Kenzo Craigie (/ˈkɛn.zoʊ ˈkreɪ.ɡiː/;[a] born 29 September 2010) is a British racing driver who competes in the Italian F4 Championship for R-ace GP as part of the Mercedes Junior Programme.

Born and raised in Epsom to a Jamaican father and French mother, Craigie began competitive kart racing aged six. After a successful karting career—culminating in his victory at the junior World Championship in 2024—Craigie graduated to junior formulae.

Early life

Kenzo Craigie was born on 29 September 2010 in Epsom, Surrey, England.[1][2] He is of Guadeloupean lineage through his French mother, Flora, while his father, Paul, is Afro-Jamaican; he wears both flags alongside the Union Jack on his racing helmet, telling The New York Times in 2025 that "representation really drives [him]".[3][4] He initially played association football and says he was a member of the Chelsea youth academy before his father introduced him to kart racing.[5]

His association with Lewis Hamilton—the only black driver in Formula One history—began when he joined the Mercedes Junior Team in 2023, expressing his desire to continue Hamilton's efforts to increase ethnic diversity and female representation in motorsport.[3] Alongside Hamilton, he proclaims Marcus Rashford as his sporting idol and is a fan of football club Manchester United.[3] Raised in Epsom, he is privately educated at Downsend School in nearby Leatherhead.

Racing career

Karting (2017–2025)

2017–2023: Prominence in Britain and international debut

At six years old, Craigie started kart racing at the local Daytona Sandown Park and debuted in the bambino ranks of the British scene, scoring a podium in his first race.[6][1] By 2020, he had emerged in club championships across England, placing fifth in the TVKC Autumn Cup and twenty-fourth in the British Championships.[7][8] He debuted on the international scene in 2021 at the RMC Grand Finals in Sakhir, having improved to ninth in the British Championships.[7] He dominated the national Cadet class the following year, winning the Ultimate Karting Championship, Kartmasters British Grand Prix, British 'O' Plate, and finishing runner-up in the British Championships, where his successes saw him claim the Mark Hines Memorial Trophy and his nomination to represent the United Kingdom in the CIK-FIA Academy Trophy.[6][9] He closed his cadet career by winning the TVKC Icebreaker Cup at PF International.[6] Part of the Mercedes Junior Team from 2023 onwards, he stepped up to the junior international Rotax Max and IAME categories, where he finished runner-up in the RMC Euro Trophy and English Championship with Argenti Motorsport, as well as tenth and twelfth in the X30 Junior and Junior Max categories of the British Championships, respectively; he finished twentieth in the RMC Grand Finals.[8][10][11][12]

2024–2025: World Champion

Short-term [goals are], just keep on progressing with my career—trying to be a better driver every day, and a better person. Just keep on pushing, and hopefully everything will align.

You always want to do your best, but in racing, it iss really easy to over-push and try to do too much and then it will not work out.

You just have to stay calm and let things come to you and even if it does not go as quickly as possible, if you just stay calm, hopefully it will come your way.

— Craigie discussing his goals with The New York Times upon his graduation to junior formulae in 2025[3]

In 2024, aged 13, Craigie progressed to OK-Junior—the premier under-15 international class—under the wing of six-time World Champion Mike Wilson, finishing nineteenth in the European Championship and third in Champions of the Future.[13][14][15] His World Championship debut was staged at PF International, where he won a club championship round the year prior, and proved a battle for victory between him and compatriot Noah Baglin; in torrential rain, Craigie closed a three-second gap to Baglin by the final lap, when they swapped positions repeatedly—often going off-circuit—until a final-corner collision saw Baglin in the wall and Craigie becoming World Champion.[3][16] After closing the season by winning the IAME Warriors Final in X30 Junior, Fabio Marangon of Vroomkart stated karting was "Craigie's world, and we are just living in it" and contrasted his acclaim to Kimi Antonelli.[17] His battle with Baglin and eventual overtake was named the FIA Action of the Year in karting.[3]

Craigie's progression to the senior OK class in 2025 was met with mixed results, opening with ninth in the WSK Super Master Series and fourteenth in the IAME Winter Cup.[18] His highlight of the season was victory in Champions of the Future over eventual World Champion Thibaut Ramaekers and European Champion Christian Costoya, his second international title.[19] Craigie finished tenth in the European Championship, scoring nearly half of his points with a podium in the season-ending Rødby final.[18] He closed his karting career with fifth in the World Championship at Kristianstad, the same position he ranked in-class in the International Karting Ranking.[18][20] Upon his graduation to junior formulae, Sam Joseph of The New York Times proclaimed Craigie as a "prodigy".[3]

Formula 4 (2026–present)

Craigie debuted in junior formulae with his 2026 pre-season campaign in the UAE4 Series with R-ace GP, with whom he tested Formula 4 (F4) machinery extensively over the winter break.[21][18] On debut at Yas Marina, he finished seventh in a race-long battle with Elia Weiss in the opening race before claiming his maiden podium in the reverse-grid race and another points finish to end the weekend third in the championship.[22] Another three points finishes followed for Craigie in the second Yas Marina round. He took his maiden pole positions at Dubai—the second with a margin of 0.492 seconds over championship leader Oleksandr Bondarev—where he took his maiden victory in the opening race and dropped behind Bondarev in the final race to solidify his third-place overall.[23] He closed the season with two points finishes and a mechanical retirement following a collision with Tomass Štolcermanis at Lusail.[24] He ended the campaign on 118 points—73 behind third-year champion Oleksandr Bondarev—with one victory from three podiums and two poles, as well as the rookies' title over Christian Costoya.[25]

For his main campaign, Craigie remained with R-ace GP in Italian F4.[26] Following two points finishes on debut at Misano, including thirteenth in the final, he improved to eighth in the Vallelunga final.[27] Having finished seventh and sixth in the opening races at Monza, penalised from the podium in race one for contact with Thomas Bearman, he crashed at Lesmo-II in the final.[28] The mid-season E4 Championship opened at Vallelunga, where Craigie won the second race and trailed Luka Sammalisto in the standings, before surpassing him with two victories and another podium at Paul Ricard following a hat-trick of poles.[29][30]

Formula One

In February 2023, Craigie became the youngest member of the Mercedes Junior Team, aged 12.[31]

Awards and honours

Karting record

Karting career summary

Season Series Team Position
2019 Camberley Kart Club — Honda Cadet Ambition Motorsport NC†
Shenington Kart Racing Club — Honda Cadet NC†
2020 Clay Pigeon Kart Club — Honda Cadet Ambition Motorsport NC†
Lydd International Kart Club — Honda Cadet 22nd
East of England Cup — Honda Cadet NC†
Kartmasters British Grand Prix — Honda Cadet 32nd
Fulbeck Championship — Honda Cadet NC†
TVKC Autumn Cup — Honda Cadet 5th
British Championships — Honda Cadet 24th
2021 PF Challenge Cup — Honda Cadet Ambition Motorsport 21st
Wessex Challenge — Honda Cadet 9th
Dunkeswell Kart Club — Honda Cadet NC†
Clay Pigeon Kart Club — Honda Cadet NC†
Kartmasters British Grand Prix — Honda Cadet 4th
British 'O' Plate — Honda Cadet NC
British Championships — Honda Cadet 9th
RMC Golden Trophy — Micro Max 20th
RMC Grand Finals — Micro Max 34th
2022 RMC Euro Trophy — Mini Max 34th
PF Challenge Cup — Honda Cadet 21st
Kartmasters British Grand Prix — Honda Cadet Zip Factory Team 1st
Kartmasters British Grand Prix — IAME Water Swift Argenti Motorsport 14th
Ultimate Karting Championship — Honda Cadet Ambition Motorsport 1st
British 'O' Plate — IAME Water Swift Argenti Motorsport 9th
British 'O' Plate — Honda Academy Zip Factory Team 1st
British Championships — Honda Cadet 2nd
London Cup — Honda Cadet 2nd
2023 TVKC Icebreaker Cup — IAME Water Swift Argenti Motorsport 1st
British 'O' Plate — Junior Max 26th
Ultimate Karting Championship — Junior Max 75th
Shenington SuperPrix — X30 Junior 11th
English Championship — Junior Max 2nd
RMC Euro Trophy — Junior Max 2nd
British Championships — X30 Junior Argenti Motorsport 10th
British Championships — Junior Max 12th
Trent Valley Kart Club — Junior Max 41st
RMC Grand Finals — Junior Max 20th
International Karting Ranking 213th
International Karting Ranking — Junior Max 6th
2024 TVKC Winter Warmer Trophy — X30 Junior Argenti Motorsport 6th
British 'O' Plate — Junior Max 8th
IAME Euro Series — X30 Junior GGM 19th
British Championships — Junior Max Argenti Motorsport 44th
CIK-FIA European Championship — OK-J Prema Racing 19th
Champions of the Future — OK-J 3rd
CIK-FIA World Championship — OK-J 1st
British Championships — X30 Junior Argenti Motorsport 4th
IAME Warriors Final — X30 Junior VictoryLane 1st
International Karting Ranking 21st
International Karting Ranking — OK-J 9th
2025 IAME Winter Cup — X30 Senior VictoryLane 14th
WSK Super Master Series — OK Prema Racing 9th
CIK-FIA European Championship — OK 10th
Champions of the Future — OK 1st
CIK-FIA World Championship — OK 5th
International Karting Ranking 12th
International Karting Ranking — OK 5th
Source:[8][2][20][b]

† As Craigie was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

Racing record

Racing career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2026 UAE4 Series R-ace GP 12 1 2 0 3 118 3rd
Italian F4 Championship 12 1 0 1 2 144* 7th*
E4 Championship 6 3 3 4 4 138* 1st*
Source:[8]

* Season still in progress.

Complete UAE4 Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Points
2026 R-ace GP YMC1
1
7		 YMC1
2
3		 YMC1
3
6		 YMC2
1
4		 YMC2
2
9		 YMC2
3
5		 DUB
1
1		 DUB
2
7		 DUB
3
2		 LUS
1
4		 LUS
2
8		 LUS
3
Ret		 3rd 118
Source:[25]

Complete Italian F4 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Pos Points
2026 R-ace GP MIS1
1
24†		 MIS1
2
13		 MIS1
3		 MIS1
4
13		 VLL
1
20		 VLL
2		 VLL
3
5		 VLL
4
8		 MNZ
1
7		 MNZ
2
6		 MNZ
3		 MNZ
4
Ret		 MUG1
1
2		 MUG1
2		 MUG1
3
4		 MUG1
4
1		 IMO
1
 IMO
2
 IMO
3
 IMO
4
 MIS2
1
 MIS2
2
 MIS2
3
 MIS2
4
 MUG2
1
 MUG2
2
 MUG2
3
 MUG2
4
 7th* 144*
Source:[27]

† Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.
* Season still in progress.

Complete E4 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pos Points
2026 R-ace GP VLL
1
6		 VLL
2
1		 VLL
3
9		 LEC
1
3		 LEC
2
1		 LEC
3
1		 MNZ
1
 MNZ
2
 MNZ
3
 1st* 138*
Source:[32]

* Season still in progress.

Notes

  1. ↑ KEN-zoh KRAY-gee
  2. ↑ Additional references are stated in § Karting (2017–2025).

References

  1. 1 2 "Kenzo Craigie on Target for Next Karting Crown". Motorsport UK. 28 July 2025. Archived from the original on 13 December 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Craigie Kenzo". Kartcom. Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Joseph, Sam (31 October 2025). "Kenzo Craigie: The Mercedes junior aiming to reach F1 and help Lewis Hamilton". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. ISSN 1553-8095. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  4. ↑ Yacou, Yasmina (17 September 2024). "Kenzo Craigie, jeune prodige d'origine guadeloupéenne devient champion du monde de karting à 14 ans" [Kenzo Craigie, young prodigy of Guadeloupean origin, becomes world karting champion at the age of 14]. La Première (in French). France Info. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "A day in the life of Kenzo Craigie". Motorsport UK. 2 October 2025. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Kenzo Craigie, Wera Tools BKC driver, selected for Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team's Junior Programme". Motorsport UK. 28 February 2023. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  7. 1 2 Wood, Ida (21 February 2023). "Mercedes adds karter Kenzo Craigie to F1 junior team". Formula Scout. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Driver: Kenzo Craigie". Driver Database. The Race Media. Archived from the original on 6 December 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  9. ↑ "Five drivers shortlisted to represent Motorsport UK in the 2023 FIA Karting Academy Trophy". Motorsport UK. 21 December 2022. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  10. ↑ Giuliani, Giuliano Ciucci (21 November 2023). "Team Great Britain heads to Bahrain for the 2023 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals". Vroomkart. ISSN 1724-9147. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "2023 British E Plate | Junior Rotax | Race 30 – E Plate (AF) | Results" (PDF). British Kart Championships. Apex Timing. 3 September 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Devaux, Grégoire (24 December 2023). "Mercedes Junior Team: 2023 driver-by-driver review". Feeder Series. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  13. ↑ Wood, Ida (8 November 2024). "The karting legend Mercedes is deploying to develop a 'next Antonelli'". Formula Scout. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  14. ↑ "FIA Awards | Kigali 2024". Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 11 December 2024. p. 9. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  15. ↑ Lau, Kaylene (23 December 2024). "Mercedes Junior Team: 2024 driver-by-driver review". Feeder Series. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "OK-Junior: Dans le dernier tour du Mondial, Kenzo Craigie double Noah Baglin qui chute dans le dernier virage" [OK-Junior: On the last lap of the World Championship, Kenzo Craigie overtakes Noah Baglin who falls at the last corner]. Kartmag (in French). 17 September 2024. ISSN 1277-5983. Archived from the original on 18 February 2026. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  17. ↑ Marangon, Fabio (17 December 2024). "Craigie's World, and we're just Living in it". Vroomkart. ISSN 1724-9147. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Bremner, Anabelle (22 December 2025). "Mercedes Junior Team: 2025 driver-by-driver review". Feeder Series. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  19. ↑ "British Teenagers Crowned Karting Champions". Motorsport UK. 8 September 2025. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  20. 1 2 "International Karting Ranking". FIA Karting. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  21. ↑ Chambenoit, Mathieu (11 January 2026). "Andy Consani et Kenzo Craigie, membres de l'académie Mercedes, s'engagent en UAE4" [Andy Consani and Kenzo Craigie, members of the Mercedes academy, enter UAE4]. Auto Hebdo (in French). ISSN 0395-4366. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  22. ↑ Kra-Caskey, Calla (19 January 2026). "UAE4: Bondarev takes early lead from Consani in crash-filled opener". Feeder Series. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  23. ↑ Kra-Caskey, Calla (2 February 2026). "UAE4: Craigie shines in Dubai as title fight between Bondarev and Consani intensifies". Feeder Series. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  24. ↑ Kra-Caskey, Calla (15 February 2026). "UAE4: Bondarev seals title at Lusail on Consani's best weekend". Feeder Series. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  25. 1 2 "UAE4 Series | 2026". Driver Database. The Race Media. Archived from the original on 17 February 2026. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  26. ↑ Thoinet, Julien (8 May 2026). "Italian Formula 4 Championship: 2026 season guide". Feeder Series. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  27. 1 2 "Italian F4 Championship | 2026 | Standings". Motorsport Stats. Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 24 July 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  28. ↑ Thoinet, Julien (22 June 2026). "Italian F4: Sammalisto snatches championship lead as Aksoy falters". Feeder Series. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  29. ↑ "Sammalisto leads the E4 Championship after the opening round". ACI Sport. Automobile Club d'Italia. 6 July 2026. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  30. ↑ "Kenzo Craigie becomes the new E4 Championship leader after two wins at Paul Ricard". ACI Sport. Automobile Club d'Italia. 19 July 2026. Archived from the original on 26 July 2026. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  31. ↑ "Mercedes announce seven junior drivers for 2023 – including new British recruit". Formula 1. Formula One Group. 21 February 2023. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  32. ↑ "E4 Championship | 2026". Driver Database. The Race Media. Archived from the original on 24 July 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
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